The Federal Government of Nigeria has reinforced its commitment to advancing urban development and addressing human settlement challenges by approving a $500,000 contribution to the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat).
The announcement was made by Nigeria’s Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, during the second meeting of the 2024 Executive Board of UN-Habitat held in Nairobi, Kenya, according to a statement released by the Minister’s Special Assistant on Media and Strategy, Mr. Mark Chieshe. The session was chaired by Arc. Dangiwa, reflecting Nigeria’s pivotal leadership in the organization.
Speaking at the meeting, UN-Habitat’s Executive Director, Ms. Anaclaudia Rossbach, commended Nigeria for its dedication to addressing urbanization challenges and advancing the global human settlements agenda.
Ms. Rossbach praised Nigeria’s effective leadership of the UN-Habitat Executive Board and lauded Arc. Dangiwa for his focused stewardship as Chair. She also expressed gratitude for Nigeria’s recent approval of a $500,000 contribution to UN-Habitat.
“I greatly appreciate Nigeria’s commitment, exemplified by the Chair of the Executive Board, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, in advancing the mandate of UN-Habitat. Nigeria’s approval of $500,000 to UN-Habitat reflects its dedication to our partnership. This funding will bolster the UN-Habitat Country Office in Nigeria, enhancing its capacity to provide multi-level support for achieving Nigeria’s housing and urban development goals,” she stated.
Earlier, Arc. Dangiwa, in his opening remarks at the Executive Board Meeting, announced that His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, had approved the Ministry’s request for a $500,000 contribution to UN-Habitat. This aligns with the terms of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Nigeria and UN-Habitat for the period 2022–2027. The amount covers the outstanding Tranche 1 contribution for 2022–2023.
The Minister explained that under the MoU, UN-Habitat is tasked with working with the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development towards mobilizing technical expertise, capacity, and financial resources at national, regional, and international levels to drive impactful projects. He noted that the MoU also supports the development and implementation of projects and activities, provision of technical advisory services, and capacity-building assistance to federal, state, and local governments. Additionally, UN-Habitat will help foster partnerships and establish effective collaboration with bilateral and multilateral development partners.
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“We recognize the critical importance of enhanced funding to support UN-Habitat’s objectives and appreciate the contributions of member states and partners in this regard. Nigeria remains steadfast in its commitment to UN-Habitat. Just last week, our President approved a $500,000 contribution to cover Nigeria’s outstanding obligations for 2022–2023, reaffirming our dedication to the organization through our partnership framework,” Dangiwa stated.
The Hon. Minister added that the Ministry is determined to maximize the value of its relationships with bi-lateral institutions such as the UN Habitat towards actualizing the Renewed Hope Agenda for housing and urban development. He acknowledged the support of delegates, and the progress achieved during Nigeria’s tenure as Chair of the Executive Board. Notable accomplishments include evaluating progress in implementing Assembly resolutions, reviewing the organization’s work plan and budget, and advancing the strategic plan for 2026–2029.
“These milestones are expected to strengthen the realization of the global vision for human settlements at the national level. The emphasis on the sustainability and inclusiveness of the strategic plan is particularly reassuring,” he added.
